Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Individuals Living with Sound Sensitivity.

One young woman is looking forward to spending time with her family during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll endure is by relying on her hearing protection - especially during the holiday meal.

For her, Christmas is a particularly difficult period as the auditory triggers of family members munching, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.

"There's this feeling of sudden panic, my entire being will just tighten and it seems as if I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these noises."

She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by other people.

It is prevalent amongst adults. A study reported almost one in five people suffer from it.

Typically it's noises associated with eating or drinking that cause distress, along with things like chewing, breathing, and pen clicking.

'Anxiety Inducing'

Lottie says: "I face so many different triggering sounds at the holidays and that can be daunting and make you dread it.

"My relatives are aware, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of enduring my distress to guarantee the event goes smoothly."

So it's easy to understand why the most wonderful season can quickly turn into a source of agony for those with the condition.

Sounds that may be considered normal, like someone sipping a beverage, rustling a roll of wrapping paper, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a strong emotional response that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a young adult, who has struggled with misophonia for over a decade, explains the approach she intends to use is to listen to music to get through dinner. On any other day, she would frequently go in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.

She explains her condition is more pronounced around people she's most familiar with, so Christmas is always "challenging".

"People assume you to be around loved ones, and I desire to, but it's physically and mentally challenging.

"I feel as if this sudden rage washes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.

"It can come across as if I'm being oversensitive and dramatic, but it's tough to describe if you haven't felt it."

A Few Techniques to Cope

For those affected then there are a few methods you can attempt to manage the situation, as suggested by experts.

1. Picture an Alternative: Creative thinking is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to imagine someone's slurping is just a waterfall. The goal is to teach your brain that the sound affecting you is neutral.
2. Use Humor: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a competition involving the source. For instance, if someone is crunching loudly have a go at joining in. By joining in, rather than feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help distract your brain and make you a little less affected.
3. Create a Scenario: One more method is to try to invent a reason about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or are troubled. This approach is changing the meaning of the sound. Even though the noise doesn't change, your reaction of it moves from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.